Labeling machine



Jan. 29, 1952 BECK 2,583,807

' LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I77 vevz 2 A/o 717-171 Bee/F Jan. 29, 1952 N. BECK LABELING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1950 In m2 72 2 0/: Norman Beck y Jan. 29, 1952 N. BECK 2,583,807

LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1950 5 SheetsSheec s Jan. 29, N B

LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1950 5 SheetsSheet 5 Patented Jan. 29, 1952 LABELING MACHINE Norman Beck, Southall, England, assignor to The Crown Cork Company Limited, Southall, England, a British company Application September 8, 1950, Serial No. 183,885 In Great Britain September 5, 1949 15 Claims.

1 This invention is for improvements in or relating to labelling machines and is concerned with machines of the type in which two arms, each with a suction pad, are separately pivotally mounted to rotate with, and with respect to, a.

single spindle, and are spring-urged about the spindle towards each other, which spindle is itself carried on a piston rod in such a manner that the arms are moved from a stack of labels whence the pads abstract a label, through a pair of opposed gumming rollers to a bottle or like station and back again. The arrangement is also such that during the first part of the movement with the piston (i. e. transit from the stack to the gumming rollers) the spindle is turned about its longitudinal axis through 180", carrying the arms with it, which operation is reversed on the return movement. When the arms reach the bottle or the like and their pads press the label against the contour of the bottle or the like, the pressure causes the arms to spread apart and wipe the label on to the bottle or the like. The invention has for one of its objects to prevent the disturbance of the labels after they have been applied to the bottles or the like.

According to the primary feature of the present invention there is provided a labelling machine of the above type comprising means whereby the pivotal movement of the arms with respect to the spindle under the said spring-urge is so controlled that the arms are maintained in their said spread-apart position until after the piston has retracted the pads out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

Accordin to another feature of the invention each arm has a boss whereby it is received on the spindle and through which the spring-urge is applied to the arms, and the bosses are separated by a block which is keyed to the spindle to rotate therewith and constitutes one of the aforesaid clutch members, and both clutch members are movable longitudinally of the spindle into operative clutching engagement, each with one of the bosses.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide means whereby the pivotal movement of the arms with respect to the spindle is so controlled that the arms are maintained in their closed position during their rotation with the spindle.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, there will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, certain constructional forms of labelling machine according to the invention.

It is to be understood, however, that the inven- ,,chine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of certain of the parts shown in Figure 1, but on a scale larger than that of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view corresponding to a part of Figure 2, but on a scale larger than that of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section partly on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and partly on the line 4-4 of Figure 6, parts being omitted,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is an under plan of certainof the parts shown in Figures 3-5,

Figure '7 is a detail view of a block, also shown in Figures 3-6,

Figure 8 is an under plan, corresponding to Figure 6, but showing a modified construction, and

Figure 9 is a vertical section, partly through the axis of the spindle and partly on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, also showing this modified construction.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring firstly to Figures 1-7, the machine comprises a base II! in which there is located a cylinder, the head of which is shown at H. Reaching up from the base is a column i2, the upper end of which is bent forwardly and is sup ported by two parallel standards of which one is shown at I3. Associated with a piston in the cylinder II is a piston rod I5 having at its upper end a cross-head I6 which takes a sliding bearing on the standards I3 and I4. A label carrier is shown at I I. The cross-head It carries two rotary arms I8 and I9 with suction pads 29 and 2|. and fixedly mounted on the standards I3 and I4 are two similar brackets 22 carrying opposed gumming devices 23. Below the space between the two gumming devices is a bottle-reception table 24.

Received in the cross-head is a spindle 25 the longitudinal axis of which lies at. right angles to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod I5 upon which it is carried. The spindle reaches out of both ends of the cross-head I6. At one end it carries the aforesaid suction pad arms I8 and I9, and at the other end it has a pinion 25 to mesh, during the upper part of the travel of the piston rod I5, with a stationary rack 2! mounted on the column I2. The length of the rack is such that during the said upper part of its movement with the piston rod the spindle 25 is rotated in one direction or the other through The spindle 25 is hollow and has nested in it a rod 28, one end of which protrudes beyond the pinion 26 on the spindle so that a thimble 29 on the rod comes into engagement with two stationary cams 30 and 3| carried upon the column I2. The cam 30 is located at the top, and the cam 3| near the bottom, of the travel of the spindle 25 with the piston rod I5. Therod 28 has a return spring pensate for manufacturing discrepancies.

3 32 housed inside the bore of the spindle 25, which tends to resist the longitudinal movement of the rod 28 under the influence of the cams 30 and 3 However this spring 32 will be overcome when the thimble 29 is in engagement with either of the cams.

The arms l8 and 9 have bosses 33 and 34 respectively which take a bearing on the spindle 25, and there are two clutching devices in the form of friction members mounted on the spindle, one appropriated to each of the bosses 33 and 34. One of these friction members is the ring 35, and the other, which lies between the bosses of the two arms, is the block 36. The

.ring 35 cooperates with the boss 33 and the block 36 cooperates with the boss 34. For each friction member, the rod 28 carries a cotter 31, 3B

which reaches through a longitudinally elongated slot 39, 46 in the body of the spindle 25 and enters longitudinal grooves 4| (see particularly Figure '7) in the friction member. Thus each friction member is held against rotation 'with respect to the spindle 25, but can move longitudinally with respect thereto, this longitudinal movement being used to bring it into and out of operative engagement with the boss to which it is appropriated. The cotters 31, 38 will press the friction members 35, 36 against the bosses 33, 34 when the cams 30, 3| operate the rod 28, but when the return spring 32 comes into operation this pressure will be relaxed. The pressure of the cotter 31, 38 against the friction members is preferably exerted through resilient washers or rubber rings 42 which com- A spacer ring 43, slotted as necessary, and lying nested inside the block 36, acts to keep the two bosses 33 and 34 at a chosen distance apart along the spindle 25.-

The block 36 has an arcuate slot 44 in it (see :particularly Figure 7 concentric with the axis of the spindle 25 and this slot is entered from opposite sides by two pins 45 and 46 associated one with each of the bosses 33, 34. The slot 44 affords the possibility of the arms I8 and i9 spreading apart and closing towards each other about the longitudinal axis of the spindle 25,

but limits the extent of that movement, and

adjustment of the degree to which the arms can move in this manner is afforded by regulating the position of the pins 45, 46 carried by the bosses .33, 34. For this purpose each pin is carried on a link 4! which has a second pin 48 which can be clamped in any chosen position in an arcuate slot 49 (see particularly Figure 3) in the boss 33, 34 to which the link is appropriated. The block 36 has two anchorage pegs 50 and to which tension springs 52 and 53 are connected respectively, the other ends of 'which springs are connected to similar pegs 54 and 55 on the links just mentioned, the parts being so arranged that the tension of the springs tends to draw the two arms l8 and I9 together about ciently great to resist the spring-urge which v tends to close the arms towards each other,,and

is also sufficiently great to resist displacement of the arms relatively to one another 'due to centrifugal force while they are rotating with the spindle 25, but is not great enough to prevent the arms being spread apart by the pressure of the suction pads against a bottle or the like.

A modified clutching arrangement is shown in Figures 8 and 9 which is not of the friction type. The rod 28 has an extension through which there extend two cotter pins 6| and 62 which reach through elongated slots 63 and 64 in the spindle 25. The pin 6| is connected to a ring 65 and the pin 62 is connected to a block 66. In the boss 33 there is housed a spring-pressed pawl 6'! to make clutching engagement with a serrated face on the ring 65, and a similar springpressed pawl 68 is provided in the boss 34 to to make clutching engagement with a serrated face on the block 66. Clutching engagement occurs when the thimble 29 engages one of the cams 36 and 3|. The spring-urge is applied to the arms I8 and I9 by a single spring 69 anchored to pegs H1 and H attached to the bosses of the arms I8 and I9.

Figure 9 shows how the vacuum may be applied to the suction pads 23 and 2|, the arrangement being also applicable to the construction shown in Figures 1-7. The vacuum is created in the interior of the base l0 and reaches the space 12 in the interior of the cross-head l6 through the interior of the piston rod l5. A port 13 establishes communication with the space 14 around the rod 28. The space 14 communicates with the interior of each of the arms l8 and i9 through a conduit such as 15 (not shown in Figure 9, but shown in Figure 5) formed eccentrically in the body of the spindle 25 or of the extension 60, the bores in the bosses 33 and 34 being suitably shaped to ensure that communication will be maintained With the conduit 75 through ports I6 and 11 during rotation of the arms I8 and I9 with respect to the spindle 25. The vacuum conduit in each arm'reaches to the contact surface of its suction pad.

In operation, the piston rod I 5 carries the arms l8 and is up and down between the label carrier I? and the bottle-reception table 24. At the top of the stroke, the arms are upwardlydirected. The spacing of the arms I8 and I9 is so chosen in relation to the size of the labels to be dealt with, and in relation to the spacing of the gumming devices 23, and in relation to the diameter of the bottle or the like on the table 24, and the two suction pads are so presented to the labels, that when the pads take a label from the carrier N, that label bridges and extends beyond the pads on both sides. This is shown in the full line position near the upper end of Figure 2. As the arms move down, they are turned with the spindle 25 by the rack 21 through during which turning movement the cam 39 causes the clutching devices 'to preelude movement of the arms relatively to each vices into operation. These do not prevent the said spread of the arms, but they do prevent return movement under the aforesaid springmrge until the thimble 29 has moved up clear of the cam 3|.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set-forth.

1. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 130 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for eiiecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to thesaid spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, and clutch members whereby the pivotal movement of the arms with respect to the spindle under the spring-urge is so controlled that the arms are maintained in their said spread-apart position until after they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

2. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto. spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for eiiecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said springurge, and a cam adapted to press the clutch members against the arms while in their said spreadapart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

3. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and. for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring urge, a rod nested in the spindle and protruding beyond one end of the latter, a cam encountered by the protruding end of the rod during the travel of the arms between the label stack and the labelling station to move the rod longitudinally in the spindle, and cotters on the rod and reaching through the spindle to operate the clutch members to maintain the arms in their said spread-apart position until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like. I

4. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for efiecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said springurge, a rod nested in the spindle and protruding beyond one end of the latter, a stationary cam so located that it is encountered by the protruding end of the rod from a short time before the label is applied to the bottle or the like until a short time after the arms have been retracted out of contact with the latter, and cotters on the rod and reaching through the spindle to operate the clutch members to maintain the arms in their said spread-apart position until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

5. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring mean for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, a rod nested in the spindle and protruding beyond one end of the latter, a cam encountered by the protruding end of the rod during the travel of the arms between the label stack and the labelling station to move the rod longitudinally in the spindle, a return sprin controlling the rod to reset it when it ceases to be in contact with the cam, and cotters on the rod and reaching through the spindle to operate the clutch members to maintain the arms in their said spread-apart position until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

6. A labelling machine comprising .in combination a spindle, a pair of suction pad arms having bosse which are pivotally received on the spindle to rotate therewith, and. with respect thereto,

spring means applied to the bosses: for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, a block separating the bosses and constituting a clutch member to cooperate with the boss on one of the arms, another clutch member to cooperate with the boss on the other arm, which clutch members are adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, means for transporting the spindle, arms and clutch members from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle, arms and clutch members through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, means to key the clutch members to the spindle to rotate therewith, and means for moving the clutch members longitudinally of the spindle to press them against the bosses on the arms while the latter are in their spread-apart like.

- 7. A labelling machine comprising in combination a spindle, a pair of suction pad arms having I bosses which are pivotally received on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means applied to the bosses for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, a block separating the bosses and constituting a clutch member to cooperate with the boss on one of the arms, another clutch member to cooperate with the boss on the other arm, which clutch members are adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, means for transporting the spindle, arms and clutch members from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle, arms and clutch members through 189 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, means to key the clutch members to the spindle to rotate therewith, a pin and slot connection between each boss and the block whereby the rotary movement of the arms with respect to each other may be limited, which slot is are-- shaped and concentric with the longitudinal axis of the spindle.

8. A labelling machine comprisingin. combinatoin a spindle, a pair of suction pad arms having bosse which are pivotally received on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto,

spring means applied to the bosses for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other,

a block separating the bosses and constituting a clutch member to cooperate with the boss on one of the arms, which block is arcuately slotted concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the spindle, pins to engage in the said slot and mounted on the bosses in such manner as to be adjustable in the direction of the length of the slot, another clutch member to cooperate with the boss on the other arm, which clutch member are adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, means for transporting the spindle, arms and clutch members from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle, arms and clutch members through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labell n station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, means to key the clutch members to the spindle to rotate therewith, and means for moving the clutch members longitudinally of the spindle to press them against the bosses on the arms while the latter are in their spread-apart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like. 9. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging ,said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through during the movement from the label stack'to the labelling station, and for efiecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, friction clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, and a cam adapted to press the clutch members against the arms while in their said spread-apart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

10'. A labelling machine comprising in combination a spindle, a pair of suction pad arms having bosses which are pivotally received on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, a block separating the bosses and constituting a clutch member to cooperate with the boss on one of the arms, two springs anchored on said block and connected one to each of the bosses in such manner as to urge the arms about the spindle towards each other, another clutch member to cooperatewith the boss on the other arm, which clutch members are adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, means for transporting the spindle, arms and clutch members from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle, arms and clutch members through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, means to key the clutch members to the spindle to rotate therewith, and means for moving the clutch members longitudinally of the spindle to press them against the bosses on the arms while the latter are in their spread-apart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

11. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto,

spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch pawls carried by the arms, cooperating serrated clutch members adapted when pressed against the pawls to overcome the said spring-urge, and a cam adapted to press the clutch members against the pawls while the arms are in their said spread-apart position and until theyhave been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

12. A labelling machine comprising in combination a spindle, a pair of suction pad arms having bosses which are pivotally received on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, a single spring anchored at its ends to the two bosses in such manner as to urge the arms about the spindle towards each other, a block separating the bosses and constituting a clutch member to cooperate with the boss on one of the arms, another clutch member to cooperate with the boss on the other arm, which clutch members are adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, means for transporting the spindle, arms and clutch members from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle. arms and clutch members through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for eifecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, means to key the clutch members to the spindle to rotate therewith, and means for moving the clutch members longitudinally of the spindle to press them against the bosses on the arms while the latter are in their spread-apart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

13. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and With respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for effecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, and clutch members whereby the pivotal movement of the arms with respect to the spindle is so controlled that, despite centrifugal force, the arms are maintained in their closed position during their rotation with the spindle, and whereby the pivotal movement of the arms with respect to the spindle under the spring-urge is so controlled that the arms are maintained in their said spread-apart position until after they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

14. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for efiecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in Wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, a cam adapted to press the clutch members against the arms to prevent movement of the latter relatively to each other due to centrifugal force during the Whole of the time that they are rotating with the spindle, and a cam adapted to press the clutch members against the arms while in their said spread-apart position and until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

15. A labelling machine comprising in combination a pair of suction pad arms, a spindle, means for pivotally mounting said arms on the spindle to rotate therewith, and with respect thereto, spring means for urging said arms about the spindle towards each other, means for transporting the spindle and arms from a stack of labels through a gumming device to a bottle or the like at a labelling station, and back again, and for turning the spindle and arms through 180 during the movement from the label stack to the labelling station, and for eifecting corresponding reverse rotation during the return movement, and for forcing the arms to spread apart, in opposition to the said spring-urge, in wiping the label on to the bottle or the like at the labelling station, clutch members adapted when pressed against the arms to overcome the said spring-urge, a rod nested in the spindle and protruding beyond one end of the latter, a stationary cam so located that it is encountered by the protruding end of the rod from a short time before the label is applied to the bottle or the like until a short time after the arms have been retracted out of contact with the latter, a second stationary cam so located that it is in operative contact with the protruding end of the rod during the time that the arms are rotating with the spindle, and

cotters on the rod and reaching through the spindle to operate the clutch members to maintain the arms in their said spread-apart position until they have been retracted out of contact with the label on the bottle or the like.

' NORMAN BECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 447,212 Tobey Feb. 24, 1891 2,280,730 Talbot Apr. 21, 1942 2,503,989 Armstrong Apr. 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 162,448 Great Britain May 5, 1921 210,559 Great Britain Feb. '7, 1924 

